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Docta Ignorantia LVII Beauty and Pedagogy instead of feeding and housing This is to urge that you consider rolling over St. Thomas' charity programs into promoting Beauty and Pedagogy from their current emphasis in feeding and housing. The suggestion no doubt appears odd, so let me explain the reason for it. The reason is that our society's welfare programs are fostering conditions they were not intended to foster, conditions which constitute compelling danger to the society that fosters them. In other words, our welfare programs are destructive all-round. I don't want to dwell on this because I'm sure it's not news to you. If a detailing of phenomena and their origin is needed, ask me to supply it. The churches are in the peculiar position of having nothing to do in the field of social welfare or "social justice," as the clergy's code phrase has it. Anything the church does is minuscule in scope and negligible in effect compared to what governmental and private agencies do in this field. This aspect of things is part of the general victory of Christian principles which has left the church wondering what to do now -- a common question facing victors -- and not a little feckless. So let me suggest that the first thing to do is, "tend to our knitting." We are the Presence of God in the community of men. God is Beauty. God is Abundance. God is Calm. We are aware of these truths. Let governmental and private agencies act as deputies of the church in the business of social welfare. Let us turn inward to beautify the House and train up the leadership. Believe me, this is where our time, energy and money are needed. Thank you for your attention and please accept my well-wishes for your personal and professional careers.
Adwaitha Hermitage
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